Building a flatbed on SRW. Any pics of yours?

[geusterman]

Got the new 04. 5 and box comes off next week. Building a SRW flatbed. Saddle tank on one side and tool box on driver side. Planning to put fuel inlet in cabguard. Carrying BigFoot and sleds at other times. Love to see your flatbed. geusterman

 

[anomad]

I was going to post a thread about converting to a flat bed also, but I saw yours. Have you done this before?

Will you try to sell your factory bed to a body shop?



What I have in mind is a square tubular frame with a treated plywood deck. (Or diamond plate aluminum if someone else is supplying the aluminum... . )



I saw a truck around central OR when I lived there with a very cool welded aluminum flatbed and a nice single crome stack mounted to the headache rack. He was usually pulling a gooseneck of one type or another.

 

[geusterman]

Yes, I would sell the bed just to get it out of here. I intend to be buried in my 04. 5 so no need to remod it. I would use steel as the farmers in MT did not like the alum empty because the extra weight of the steel made a better ride empty.



I can make mods on steel easier and finish it with bedliner. Plywood is a reasonable deck I believe. I will use 1/8 steel sheet but plywood is a close second. Simple frames on the 3gen will keep the stock bed height. The headache rack takes the fuel but has to window in between camper jack and body. The downtube will fill the main tank and cross over and fill passenger tank on other side. I have a sled bed that will drop into the stake pockets for the sleds (has a ramp under). The camper will have a ton of room on the sides and having under bed tool boxes will be great. If manufacturers would put tool boxes in those empty spaces under the bed I would not have to do this! geusterman

 

[anomad]

Steel is good, I agree about tool boxes. A full blown utility bed is my second choice after a flatbed. I would mount two 4' steel tool boxes on the sides of the flatbed to make sort of a bed and probably some kind of storage below the bed as well.

 

[Mille4212]

You can see mine in the readers rigs. I went with the flat bed for more clearance on the goose neck and 5th wheel trailer. I went kinda narrow on it so now I need to build custom boxes under it. But it serves it purpose no more worrys of hitting the bed.

 

[anomad]

Nice rig renegade. That is about what I have in mind, except a plywood deck instead of planks. Although there is a good argument for planks. I might add a set of 3 way tail-lights on the headache rack too.



How long is your deck, 9ft?

 

[Mille4212]

Hey anomad thanks. I kept it pretty short its a 8'4 bed 9 foot would pry be alittle nicer since I lost about 2' for fuel tank. The only thing about wood that I don't care for is the up keep. God knows I need to oil it again lol. And I figured the planks would be alittle stronger than a plywood floor. I would love to add the lights up top I just ran out of time. Guess the mods never end lol.

 

[DDT]

this is what I have, there is pic's in readersd rigs if you want to look. I really like the flip down sides and flush well door for GN ball. This is web site will have more pics too

http://www.bradfordbuilt.com/

 

[RustyJC]

My personal favorite if/when I go to a towing bed:

#ad




More info HERE.



Rusty

 

[Mille4212]

RustyJC if I won the Lottery I would buy one of those bed's but until then I'll have to build my own, I have more time than money. And the money I do have is going for a comp box DD2's, clutch and maybe the snow performance water/meth haha. Very nice looking rig though.

 

[RustyJC]

Originally posted by renegade681

RustyJC if I won the Lottery I would buy one of those beds.....

Understood. If I won the lottery I'd start spec'ing out the Peterbilt 330! Oo.



Rusty

 

[geusterman]

Thanks boys. I would be real interested in some creative homebuilts/custom shopbuilts as my needs include towing but not exclusively. I still need a true flatbed with extra fuel below with tool boxes. It has to be at factory bed height with removeable sides and tail. Maybe it is not such a big deal and even though it will be $3000 when done it there is not that much to the figuring. Will use LED lights. Just looking for some slick ideas. Thanks. George

 

[RustyJC]

If you check that B&W website I linked in my post, they have pictures of conventional flatbeds they build. Maybe that might give you some ideas.



Rusty

 

[bmoeller]

Originally posted by RustyJC

Understood. If I won the lottery I'd start spec'ing out the Peterbilt 330! Oo.



Rusty

Only a 330? If I was in that situation, I'd get a 379X Pete or a KW 900L w/600hp Cat or Cummins. If have all that money, why hold back? :-laf

 

[geusterman]

Rusty--I ordered the flip hitch for flatbeds from B&W today. Good lead there. George

 

[RustyJC]

Originally posted by bmoeller

Only a 330?

Yep, just need a lil' 5th wheel RV toter, plus the wife would have to be able to drive it!



Rusty

 

[Big-D]

geusterman,



I don't know how to post pictures on this site, but if you would like to see a few I took of my home built flatbed I'd be happy to send 'em. Home: -- email address removed --

Dave